Social Media is So Much More Than Technology

With technology rapidly evolving history shows us that as new technology emerges we are caught up in the hype of the latest thing. What is not new, however, is that technology is always evolving.  It is always developing and building on previous knowledge.

In our haste to utilise the new technology tools for communication and marketing, businesses and individuals have become caught up in the hype of understanding the technology.  Although this is important, the technology will change.  And seeing social media as predominately a technology tool diminishes what is actually occurring in the communication space.  Elements of how we communicate are shifting.

Social media is centred on the user; it is about being connected; engagement and participation.  The user can be both consumer and producer which is more of a bottom-up approach.  Traditional media on the other hand has clear boundaries between producer and consumer and is a top-down process.  As a result users are transformed from passive content consumers to interactive content producers.  Communication no longer flows in a one direction only; there is the capacity for a two way rapid communication flow.

This is a significant shift in communication as the balance between producer and consumer is changing.  The consumer can now decide what content to consume and also whether they want to produce and share, all done at a rapid speed.  This is impacting on how individuals connect, how they search for and receive information, how they engage and interact and how they make decisions.  They are no longer unresponsive and passive. The user is now informed when making choices.

Mobile technology and hand-held devices further facilitate ease of communication and means that communication now comes ‘with us’ as opposed ‘to us’. You no longer need to be stationary and at home to communicate. Your hand held device is a multifunctional tool with the ability to perform many tasks.  It can be a telephone, email, content creator and contributor.  And it can be used anywhere, anytime.  It is not restricted by time and place.

Technology is simply the vehicle which is allowing these shifts to occur, however, the changes go beyond technology as it incorporates the human desire to connect.  Social media is not technological, it is cultural.  It is about the disruption and fragmentation of the communication space.  It is a cultural and communication phenomenon which is only just starting to take off.

For more on Anna’s thoughts take a look at her website: www.annacairo.com

Thanks for reading!

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Tags: Communication shifts • Disruption of communication space • Fragmentation of communication • Social media is cultural • Social media more than technology